West Wittering Beach: How to book your parking and everything else you need to know ahead of the summer holidays

The West Wittering Estate announced in April that its pre-paid parking system was to be made permanent to ‘control visitor numbers, promote safety and protect the environment and local community’.

The popular West Sussex beach has maintained its daily cap on numbers as staycations and day trips within the UK on the increase this summer.

The system – which was brought in when the beach reopened following the first national lockdown last year – aimed to reduce lengthy traffic queues in the area.

West Wittering Beach is already sold out for this coming weekend (July 17 and 18).

"Please do not travel to the beach car park on Saturday or Sunday without a valid booking, as you will be turned away," a spokesperson for the estate said.

"There is no other parking in the local area, and traffic wardens will be operating."

Visitors who wish to book online parking must visit the JustPark app or website and select West Wittering Beach from the choice of locations. You can then select the day you wish to travel to the site.

Customers then receive a confirmation text or email, which must be shown to staff at the entrance gates to grant entry.

In April, an estate spokesperson said: “Visitor numbers have been increasing over the last decade and we believe keeping the pre-paid parking system in place is the right thing to do to promote safety and protect the environment, wildlife and our local community. A strict daily limit on numbers parking with us will also be enforced.

“As the nation eases out of lockdown, many will be thinking of a staycation or day trip within the UK.

"Anyone planning a trip to West Wittering Beach this spring and summer will need to pre-book their parking to avoid the chance of being disappointed should they arrive to find the carpark is fully booked.”

New fencing and bollards will address safety concerns

Visitors to West Wittering Beach may soon be met with unfamiliar fencing and bollards.

West Sussex County Council announced last month that it 'intends to consent' to the siting of bollard and cleft fencing at 'strategic locations' on B2179 Cakeham Road and B2179 Rookwood Road.

The plans were submitted by West Wittering Estate PLC in partnership with West Wittering Parish Council.

The application has led to concerns in the community that the village will turn into an 'unwelcoming and unfriendly' place for visitors but the beach management company insisted that the plans were not made to discourage visitors

Instead, they were put in place to 'address safety concerns for several key areas'. Read more hereOver the past five years, West Wittering Estate has invested in staff, training and equipment, and said as a result, safety incident numbers have fallen.

The estate spokesperson said: “By capping visitor numbers, we will be able to build on the positive trend for visitor safety we have achieved to date.

"Being able to control the numbers coming to the beach each day will also allow us to strike the right balance between protection of the natural environment and allowing people to enjoy a traditional family day at the beach.”